BLUE WHALES , Sri Lanka

If you want to see and be photographed with blue whales, this is the ultimate expedition for you. Patrick Dykstra was one of the first photographers to locate and interact with blue whales off the coast of Sri Lanka following the nation’s civil war and he has developed an expertise that is unmatched when it comes to getting close encounters with the blue whales of Sri Lanka.

Unrivaled Excellence

Compare the photos taken by the Picture Adventure team over the past several years to any other photography team in the world’s portfolio of blue whale images (including National Geographic), and you understand why the Picture Adventure team has been asked by top researchers to assist in data collection and photo identification of blue whales. We simply have more experience than anyone else out there, which means you have the best opportunities to interact with the world’s largest animal.

Personal Attention

We have a maximum of four guests on this expedition. Hosting only four guests allows for the maximum number of whale encounters for each guest. Some days we are joined by a local Sri Lankan researcher who provides valuable and fascinating information on the whales of his country.

Living the Good Life

We stay at an excellent four star resort on the coast. Days are spent swimming in the warm azure waters of the Indian Ocean and afternoons and evenings are spent relaxing on the beach, eating fresh seafood, taking surf lessons, and seeing unique sites along Sri Lanka’s coast.

Detour

To witness the world’s largest marine animal and the world’s largest land animal on the same expedition, detour and spend three days comfortably kayaking a remote section of Sri Lanka’s Mahawali River where you spot wild elephants from your kayak. No previous kayak experience is necessary.

Amazing Diversity

Although blue whales are the focus of the expedition, the group may well see huge pods of 16-meter+ sperm whales (the largest of the toothed whales), spinner dolphins, white risso dolphins, short-finned pilot whales, sea turtles, sailfish, and marlin. All of these have been spotted during past expeditions.

Incredible Encounters

There are no guarantees with wild animals, and these are some of the most challenging in the world to approach, but Picture Adventure has an unprecedented success rate given our commitment to research, training and proper equipment.

The Blue Whale

The blue whale is the largest animal to ever inhabit the planet. It is more massive than even the largest dinosaur discovered so far. A blue whale’s heart is the size of a car and its tongue weighs as much as an elephant. The subspecies present in Sri Lanka grows up to 24 meters (79 feet) in length.

Picture Adventure Expeditions

Picture Adventure hosts a very small number of guests on bold “expeditions of a lifetime”. Each Picture Adventure expedition is highly customized and often requires working in close partnership with top researchers to ensure that we are on the vanguard of what the natural world has to offer. Patrick Dykstra, an accomplished photographer with clients including Emirates Airlines, Borderlands and other top global brands, designs and leads each journey to ensure that guests capture excellent photos and video, as well as advance their imaging skills. In addition, a goal of each expedition is to capture memorable photos and video of the guests enjoying their unique adventure.